South Africa recently decided to permit the export of 800 skeletons of captive-bred lions to markets in Asia, where the bones will be used to produce “luxury” items, such as bone wine. Although the government of South Africa argues that permitting the export of captive-bred lion skeletons will help protect wild lions from poaching, wildlife groups argue that the legal trade in lion bones will help fuel the illegal trade in wild lion parts, as well as drive more money to the cruel “canned hunting” industry. Additionally, conservationists assert that he trade in lion parts will also harm tigers, who are also killed to fuel the same market for luxury items in Asia.
Link: EcoWatch